


At Day's End

by bored_wayward_dragon



Series: Originals one/two shots [4]
Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Basically everyone besides Klaus is only like mentioned, But tbh it was also the best season, Except for the parts that made me cry, It was still good though, It's just instrospective Klaus, Season 3 was depressing AF, This is post 3.20, fun times, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 05:00:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15574335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bored_wayward_dragon/pseuds/bored_wayward_dragon
Summary: An introspective fic to explore what Klaus thought after the events of 3.20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I'm just moving my originals fics from ff.net and this is one of them. I hope y'all like it

_Family is power_ , Elijah had once told him. He had spent a millennia trying to convince him that he was not alone in his struggle, that he was surrounded by those who would love him unconditionally in spite of his own actions towards them.

He found it rather ironic, that it was _now_ , when he had finally begun to believe his elder brother, when he had _wanted_ to believe him, when he did nothing but cooperate with their demands that his family turned against him.

That it was when he had finally begun to have hope of putting down his demons for good, it was then that those demons would overcome him, that it was _now_ after all that had happened, even though they were dead and gone, it was his demons that emerged victorious from the fight even as their bodies lay broken on the floor in a pool of blood.

How ironic, that all that he did, he did for family and yet, in spite of his actions to protect those whom he called his, he lost them anyway. Precious, beautiful, _brave_ Cami lost to him forever, safe in the dark embrace of death. Marcel and Kol, bitter and angry in the clutches of hatred and darkness after his siblings' actions. And Davina.

Despite what they believed, she was a part of this family as much as Marcel was, as much as little Hope was. Not by blood, no, but by choice. She was important to Kol, to Cami, to Marcel, thus, she was important to him. They had their differences, of course. How could they not? But in their game of who kills who first, he had not intended for her to die. Certainly not as she did.

It was for his family, for his precious Camille, that he had asked Elijah and Freya to stay their hands, to _find another way_ , because he refused to allow the young teenager whom his brother had loved to suffer. He would not wish such a loss upon anyone, least of all his younger brother.

He had chosen family over revenge and had done so without a second thought. Because how could he condemn one beloved by those he cared for in his need to avenge the woman who had loved him and had been destroyed because he had dared to return that love? How could he allow Freya and Elijah to put Davina in danger when she meant so much to Cami? When he was as much to blame as Lucien for Cami's death?

In this never-ending war they had waged against their demons, he was not such an idealistic fool as to believe that there would be no casualties. That there would be no pain. But as it was, he would rather lose a battle today and win the war tomorrow knowing that his family was still whole. That Lucien and the ancestors hadn't left it fractured, ripped to shreds in a grudge match that may very well level this whole city by the end of it and leave the ones he loved lying dead around him, leave this city stained with their blood. _His_ hands stained with that blood, because to hurt him they would destroy those he cared for.

He was a monster, had been engulfed almost entirely by the dark for most of his life save a few, fleeting yet beautiful moments. It was a truth he knew and accepted, embracing the darkness inside him because it allowed him to protect the ones he cared most about and because he knew he didn't deserve even those fleeting moments of happiness. Because there was no place for him in the light, perhaps there never had been. But he had failed in his one task, failed in keeping intact what had mattered the most. Today he had lost to his demons, a fact he knew even as he ripped Lucien's heart from his chest.

They were Mikaelsons, they had endured a thousand years, they would endure a few more, but at what cost? He would not, _could_ not see his family torn apart, splintered into the tiny fragments that it had become. This was their home as much as it was Marcel's, as much as it had been Davina's and no matter their refusal to believe it, and his to accept it, he had claimed them as family a long time ago and some human part of him, buried deep within, the part that only a brave bartender had been able to not only see, but bring into the light on occasion, had rejoiced in that truth. Reveled in the knowledge that he did have a few who would stand by him, even when not bound by the ties of blood.

This was New Orleans. He would find a way to bring her back, drag her out of Hell itself and piece her very soul back together if he had to for his brother and for Marcel. He would not allow Kol to lose himself in pain and rage and hate. He would not leave him to such a fate that Cami had managed to somehow save him from. Once you traveled such dark paths, you never quite returned the same.

For the sake of this family, he had killed, cursed and betrayed whomever he had to, whoever had stood in his way without a second thought as to the consequences of his actions. He would do it all again in a heartbeat if he had to. Because this was _his_ city, his family, his _home_ and Klaus would be _damned_ before he let a few dead witches take it away from him.

Because when demons rose and darkness fell, at the day's end, the only thing left worth fighting for was family.


	2. Chapter 2

His dreams were filled with the faces of those he had failed to protect and he woke up screaming their names, tears tracking salty paths down his face. And he wondered when Elijah became the one who would destroy whomever it took to win a war and he the one to stand back. When it became he who would value the happiness of his family over killing their enemies.

He was lost in the darkness, consumed by emotions he couldn't even name. Overwhelming grief for the woman whom he had lost, hatred for the one who had killed her. Sorrow for the young witch who had to pay the price and an all-encompassing feeling of defeat.

Klaus was a vindictive bastard, it was a fact he was well aware of and entirely unapologetic about. Those that disappointed him, that stood against him would be struck down without a second thought. He was a man plagued by his demons and one who faced them all unflinching, still standing when he came out on the other side. War ran through his veins, it was all he had ever known, perhaps all he ever would.

He was a proud man, arrogant even, of course he was. He had never had reason to fear any but one. He was a king in every sense of the word because he had built himself up to it. But seeing Hayley's life literally in Lucien's hand, a small movement away from death, he was shaken to the core. All he could think was that he wouldn't be the cause of another death. That he wouldn't, couldn't let his child grow up not knowing her mother. He wouldn't be the cause of Elijah losing someone else. And so, swallowing his pride, the movement graceful even as his position screamed defeat, he allowed himself to sink to his knees. The mighty lion, brought down by little more than a vengeful bloodhound.

He took a dark pleasure in breaking Lucien before he killed him, reminding him of what he had been and what he would remain no matter what he did to change it. Reminding Lucien that he had stood before a king and could never measure up no matter what he did. And as he ripped Lucien's heart from his chest, the last thing the younger vampire would know was that at the end of the day, he had stood alone and that he would never measure up. That he would forever remain in Klaus' shadow.

He had nearly snapped his elder brother's neck as he told Klaus what he and Freya had done. There was no forgiveness for this, no coming back from what they had done and he could only pray. Pray that his family had not been torn apart yet again. That he had not lost his adopted son and younger brother for good this time. That half their allies were not lost because of a single action.

His heart clenched as he saw the look on Marcel's face and he knew that to get him back, if he even could, it would be a long path indeed. He had stood by Elijah's side as they faced Marcel, because even after all was said and done, he would never let his brother face anything alone. Never again. Yet he yearned to reach out to the younger vampire as he had once done. To comfort Marcel and mourn the loss of a child as he had once done before after the harvest was completed and they had thought Davina lost forever. But this time there was no comfort to be given. This time there was only vengeance on the lips of his adopted son, hatred in his eyes and surety in his voice as he denounced them as family. The cracks inside of him widened a little more as Marcel turned his back on them and deep inside the void of his loneliness grew just a little more as the other vampire once again walked away from him without glancing back.

Although perhaps there was some good in this day as he was finally able to see Hayley stop running from her feelings and embrace them instead. And he felt the hole inside him closing just a little, glad that even though everything else was wrong, at least something was right.

He mourned for Kol, the loss that had been forced upon his younger brother was not one he would wish upon anyone. He could still see the hope in his younger brother's eyes as he had told him that they would help him get Davina back. When he had promised to do everything in his power to save the young witch that Kol loved. And he could not bear the pain and utter despair that filled those same eyes now. Emotions that were there because he hadn't been strong enough. Because he hadn't been fast enough to take down Lucien before Freya and Elijah took matters into their own hands. Because they had acted to save his life and had condemned another in his place.

And as he sat by his daughter, still innocent and somehow untouched by the darkness that surrounded him, he swore to make it right. To somehow, some day, see their family whole again. Because for the Mikaelson family victory had never been possible when they stood divided, when they opposed each other instead of their true enemies.

It was at that point, when they faced each other that they were truly at their most vulnerable. They tended to forget that and Klaus feared that this time, this time they all may not walk away to regret past actions.


End file.
